CHAPTER 2: The Truth

Hermione felt the sudden lurch of being dragged into Malfoy's mind. The images were swirling around her as Draco worked to get her settled and bring the memory forward. Her skin prickled and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as the food she ate that morning threatened to reappear all over Malfoy. She wanted to close her eyes.

"Don't close your eyes, Granger." Draco whispered.

"Well then hurry up please, preferably before I vomit" Hermione begged.

Just a few more moments passed before everything came to a stop and the first memory appeared. Hermione looked around, recognizing that she was in the stairwell of the stadium at the Quidditch World Cup. Draco, who had appeared beside her, took her by the hand and led her down a hallway. When they turned a corner to walk up a second staircase, Hermione caught a voice she recognized coming from above her.

"Blimey dad! How far up are we?" Ron asked. A voice from behind her responded and it made Hermione nearly jump out of her skin.

"Well put it this way. If it rains, you'll be the first to know."

Lucius Malfoy was a towering man, with an air about him that reeked of arrogance. Beside him was the 14-Year-old Draco. His outward appearance resembled his father in many ways, but Hermione couldn't help but notice the uncertainty in his eyes.

"Father and I are in the minister's box," said the memory of young Draco, "By personal invitation from Cornelius Fudge himself."

"Don't boast Draco." his father said, stabbing his cane into his chest. "There's no need with these people."

As the group turns to leave Lucius hooks his cane onto Harry's foot "Do enjoy yourselves. While you can."

Hermione turned to look at the young boy hiding behind his father. His eyes were glazed with the look of heavy occlusion. She followed his line of sight and found him looking at her. The young Hermione made eye contact with Draco and a strange sensation pulsed through her chest, almost like the plucking of a guitar string. She gasped and turned to the other Draco behind her.

"I don't understand," she said to him as the memory faded and the swirls of the next one began.

Before he could form a response, the next memory appeared, and they were standing in the Minister's Box. Young Draco was watching Ireland run their victory laps around the pitch. There was a shuffling behind them, and she noticed him straighten his spine involuntarily when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"It's time to go Draco." His father said. Lucius' voice made her nervous. She wasn't sure if that was her own feelings or Draco's.

"I thought we were gon…" His voice stopped suddenly as he took in the sight of Lucius in his Death Eater regalia. "What's going on father?"

"A celebration my son. The Dark Lord is returning." Hermione shivered at his words.

"Then why are we leaving?" he asked.

"I am not leaving son, you are. This is not a celebration for children." He said, unsheathing his wand from his cane. "Now do as I say. You must not be here when the Aurors arrive."

"What are you planning to do?" Lucius' hand connected with Draco's face. Sorrow and fear filled her mind, adding to the feeling of Draco's deep desire to please his father. Hermione's heart broke for the young boy.

"Do not ask such impertinent questions and do as I say!" he said as Draco dropped his eyes and replied.

"Yes sir."

He walked towards the door and turned to look at Lucius again. They all watched the memory as metal crawled and weaved across his face forming his Death Eater mask, frozen in place until he disappeared in a flood of black smoke.

The world swirled once more, and they were looking out over the campsite as young Draco waited for his portkey to activate. When it began to vibrate, she saw him take it out of his pocket and begin unwrapping the cloth it was enclosed in. He was just about to touch it, when they heard an explosion to their right, no, it was the left. No… It was everywhere!

Young Draco was franticly looking about when he saw them, and it all clicked into place. This was how the Death Eaters would celebrate the return of their Dark Lord… with slaughter. She had a violent surge of fear course through her body, a mixture of hers and young Draco's she assumed; but instead of touching the portkey to leave, he shoved it back into his pocket and took off in a run towards the campsites. Where was he going?

Her feet dragged her along beneath her, dodging people and ducking flying debris. The fear coursing through her was beyond anything she had ever felt before. She struggled to keep up with the young Draco ahead of her.

"Where were you going?" She forced out through heavy breaths at the Draco running beside her. He didn't answer.

They weaved through all the chaos, row after row of tents passing them by. She could feel the confusion he felt. Unsure of what he was doing or why. Confusion turned to desperation the longer they ran.

Young Draco came to a sudden stop, turning around and coming face to face with Hermione. For a moment, she swore he was looking right at her. She turned to follow his line of sight and saw young Ron and herself looking around franticly.

"That's when we got separated from Harry," she said as she watched the younger her call out for Harry. She noticed both Draco's were frozen in place. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

He did move. He barely blinked, unwilling to take his eyes off the scene before them. She saw an older wizard knock into the younger her and felt that pluck of the guitar string in her chest again. The anxiousness and fear were reaching unbearable heights. She noticed the younger Draco take off running towards the younger her and Ron. Right as he was about to reach them, Arthur Weasley appeared beside them and in a snap, they were gone.

In that same instant, all the anxiety and fear coursing through her body ceased. She turned to look at the Draco beside her when suddenly she was pushed out of his mind, gasping at the shock of it.

"I still don't understand," she said. "What was it from that memory that caused you to stop using mud…" The fire in his eyes made her cut herself off.

He sighed. "That night, when I realized what my father had meant by celebration, I felt this tug in my chest. You saw it, I was just about to touch the portkey when it happened. I didn't know what it was, I didn't know where I was going. I just knew my feet needed to take me somewhere. It wasn't until I saw you that the tugging stopped. I was so confused. I was about to grab you and take you with me and the portkey, but Arthur Weasley showed up and got you out. I was so relieved, not that I knew at the time that that was what the feeling was, it took weeks of sulking in my room trying to figure out why I had done that to come to that conclusion."

Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. He had been scared for her safety. He risked himself to ensure that she had made it out. She tried to find the words to speak, but she didn't know where to start.

"Say something, Granger." Draco looked nervous. She forced out a smile, but it did nothing to comfort him.

"I usually know exactly what to say." She said finally, "I am the girl everyone goes to when they need all sorts of words, but right now, I can't even find one."

"Sum it up then." He said, but he could tell that made it worse, "One word. Think of one word to describe it all"

"Have you lost your mind Malfoy? How could I possibly sum anything up in one word?"

"Try," he said as he smiled.

This time, this place, misused, mistakes

Too long, too late, who was I to make you wait?

Draco resumed their dancing. He carried them across the floor with grace, clearly learned from a private teacher growing up. She had so much to say, how could she possibly begin to wrap it all up into one word for him?

Just one chance, just one breath

Just in case there's just one left

She thought back to earlier. All the pretty words he dropped on her; how she deserved more than what her two friends could ever offer her. She was upset at what he said, but she couldn't deny that he was right. They never cared about her unless it benefited them, she had just complained about that herself before the ball.

Cause you know, you know, you know

He was waiting for her response, but she still didn't understand his angle. She hadn't really spoken to Draco since he thanked her for testifying on his behalf at his trial. He wasn't mean to her or anything, they just didn't really interact with each other. The 8th years all shared a dorm together, and there were many nights where it would be just the 2 of them up studying side by side on a couch. But they didn't speak, it was just a companionable silence, the old animosity gone.

I love you, I have loved you all along

And I miss you, been far away for far too long

She looked into his eyes again, searching for something. She felt that pluck in her chest once again.

What is that? Is it Draco trying to enter my mind? Draco? Draco? When did he become Draco?

I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go

"Why don't you give me a word then, if you're so clever?" she blurted out.

"I have a word; I'm just waiting on yours." He smirked. He was enjoying this.

Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore

She rolled her eyes. She dug deep, thinking of all the words she could.

Fun, nice, different, shocking, happy….

On my knees, I'll ask, "Last chance for one last dance?"

Hermione looked around and noticed the entire room watching them. They weren't staring, they were likely too worried about being noticed, but she could see their eyes darting to them whenever they could.

'Cause with you, I'd withstand

All of hell to hold your hand

She brought her gaze back to Draco, felt the tug, and instantly knew there was only one word that she could say to him. One word that would encompass her confusion, her enjoyment of the night, and her gratefulness for him noticing the real her.

I'd give it all I'd give for us

Give anything, but I won't give up

"I have run through every word I can think of, and no word in the dictionary can possibly describe my feelings." She said, smiling up at him.

"You couldn't possibly have gone through all the words in the world in that small amount of time, even with your big brain."

"I'm not finished." She said cutting him off. "And for the record, I did run through all those words. That's how I realized that it isn't a word at all. Not really."

"What is it then?" he asked with a pleading look in his eyes.

She let go of his hand and lifted her arms around his neck. She could feel his pulse pounding against her wrists. He placed his hands on her hips and slowed their dancing down to a gentle rocking. She steeled herself and locked her eyes with his. The plucking sensation was vibrating intensely like it wanted to burst from her chest.

'Cause you know you know, you know

With a smile, she leaned forward and whispered it in his ear, "Draco."

Before Hermione could register his reaction, his lips were on hers.

I love you, I have loved you all along

And I forgive you for being away for far too long

So keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore

The pulse exploded from her chest, and the world fell away. She ran her fingers through his hair while Draco's arms tightened around her waist and lifted her up till she was just barely on her toes.

Believe it, hold on to me and never let me go

The world around her felt warm. Like lying out by the lake in the summer sun. She opened her eyes and swore she saw a flash in Draco's eye.

He leaned down, and just as she had done to him, he whispered into her ear.

"Hermione"

They said no other words. They just rocked back and forth to the rest of the song.

Keep breathing, 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore

Believe it, hold on to me and never let me go